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Jun 23, 2010 Wine Sense: TAPAS Tasting — The Big Wines, Not the Small Plates

By James Adams

The Tempranillo Advocates Producers and Amigos Society (TAPAS) held its 3rd annual grand tasting June 5, in San Francisco’s Fort Mason Center. Society members are wineries that produce wines from the varietals of the Iberian Peninsula. That area is made up of a small part of southern France, Spain and Portugal. A small number of those varietals are grown in Oregon, California, Arizona and Texas.

A casual survey of wine aficionados would find that not many can name a Spanish or Portuguese varietal. Mention Portugal, and Port wines come to mind. Those familiar with the wines of Spain are familiar with Riojas. Tempranillo is the predominant grape varietal in Riojas. Riojas tend to be medium-bodied red wines, with more acid than tannins. These wines generally feature Tempranillo blended with Garancha, Mazuelo, and Graciano. Those varietals have their Rhone cousins. Grenacha is also known as Grenache. Mazuelo is what the Spanish call Carignane.

Typically, there are three quality levels of Rioja. Everyday drinking wines fall under the category of “Crianza,” “Reserva” denotes more complex and concentrated wines, and “Gran Reserva” refers to the most intense wines. Popular white wine varietals from the region are Albariño, Verdelho and Grenacha Blanc.

Tempranillo prefers cooler climates, but generally flourishes in those areas that also have high heat. In California, Amador, Calaveras and El Dorado counties, Alexander Valley, Lodi, Sonoma, Santa Ynez, and Paso Robles all are now producing and bottling these varietals. Many of the wineries producing Tempranillo are sourcing the grapes from Lodi.

The TAPAS tasting drew a moderate-sized crowd ranging from the knowledgeable to the curious. Thirty-five wineries from across California, plus one from Arizona and two from Oregon, displayed their latest releases. The majority of the producers are small, boutique-style wineries that are not distributed or found in stores. For those not familiar with these varietals, these wines provide new taste experiences.

Albariño can be easily compared with Sauvignon Blanc. This wine is typically steel-tank fermented with rarely any barrel aging. This is a very crisp and refreshing wine with bright citrus flavors on the palate and pleasant acidity levels. This is a very food friendly wine, perfect for picnics.

Verdelho, in most of the styles presented, is very close to Viognier. Like its Rhone cousin, the perfume-like aromatics of this wine must be tamed to make it approachable for many. Grenacha Blanc is another fruit-forward crisp and refreshing wine with less citrus tones and more pear or apple notes on the palate. All of these wines are perfect for summer.

While most readily-available California Tempranillos tend to be of the lighter style, most of the wines from the TAPAS producers were at the opposite end of the scale. These are big, rich, full-bodied wines, with very firm tannin structures. Purists might argue the winemakers are overdoing it with the heavy oak aging and exotic blending. Others will counter that these are outstanding, bold, young, hearty wines. They are very fruit forward, yet still maintain medium body on the palate. The tannin structure at the finish ranges from firm to heavy. While enjoyable now, most will benefit from 1 to 2 years of bottle aging, minimum.

On any typical wine tasting excursion it is rare to find even one or two Tempranillo wines. The event was billed as the most extensive tasting of domestic Spanish and Portuguese varietal wines ever offered. More than a few wineries mentioned to guests that their wines are available at the Winery Collective at Fisherman Wharf in San Francisco. Small premium wine shops are another good source for finding these varietals. Imports are much easier to find and are great values. However, they are likely to be very different from what was displayed at the tasting. Either way, these wines are definitely worth investigating.

Personal Favorites From the Tasting

Abacela, Roseburg, Ore. (Albariño, Tempranillo)

Barreto Cellars, Arroyo Grande, Calif. (Tempranillo, Touriga Nacional)

Bokisch Vineyards, Victor, Calif. (Albariño, Garnacha, Tempranillo)

Bodega del Sur Winery, Pacifica, Calif. (Albariño)

Curran Wines, Lompoc, Calif. (Grenache Blanc, Grenache Rose, Tempranillo)

Dancing Coyote Wines, Rio Vista, Calif. (Albariño, Verdelho)

Forlorn Hope Wines, Napa, Calif. (Torrontes)

Harney Lane Winery, Lodi, Calif. (Albariño)

Longoria Wines, Los Olivos, Calif. (Albariño, Tempranillo)

Red Lily Vineyards, Jacksonville, Ore. (Tempranillo)

Tejada Vineyard Company, El Cerrito, Calif. (Tempranillo)

Twisted Oak Winery, Vallecito, Calif. (Tempranillo and Monastrell blends)

Villa Creek Cellars, Paso Robles, Calif. (Grenache Blanc blend, Grenacha blend, Tempranillo blend, Mouvedre)

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